94 - Breakfast
For a long moment, the Empress said nothing.
The silence stretched—tight, suffocating, heavy with everything unspoken between a ruler and her heir.
Zafiel stood there, unbothered. Unmoved. As if the weight of an empire meant less to him than a single person.
Then, “… you’ve grown bold.” Lilith finally spoke, her voice quieter now, but no less dangerous.
Zafiel smiled faintly. “I’ve always been bold.”
“No,” she corrected coldly. “You’ve always been controlled.” A pause. Her gaze sharpened. “This... is different.”
Zafiel didn’t deny it. Instead, he exhaled softly, almost as if tired of explaining something that, to him, needed no explanation at all. “If it concerns you that much,” he said lightly, “I can take the throne tonight.”
The words dropped like a blade. Even the servants flinched.
Lilith’s eyes narrowed. “… what did you just say?”
Zafiel met her gaze calmly. “I said,” he repeated, “if you’re worried about stability, I can take over.
” He stepped forward—just one step—but it was enough to shift the air in the room entirely.
“I’ll handle the responsibilities. The politics.
The empire.” His tone remained steady.
Certain. “But…” There it was. That line he would not cross.
“I won’t let her go. Ever. ”
Silence again. But this time, it felt different. Heavier. Because this wasn’t defiance born from impulse. It was conviction. Absolute. Final.
Lilith stared at him for a long moment. Searching. Measuring. And for the first time, she saw something she had never seen before. Not ambition. Not calculation. Not even cold detachment. But something… softer. Something dangerously human.
“You’re serious, son?” She murmured.
Zafiel’s lips curved slightly. “I’ve never been more serious, Mother.”
Another pause. Then unexpectedly, he bowed. Formal. Respectful. “Now,” he said calmly, straightening, “if you’ll excuse me…” Lilith blinked once. “… I need to prepare her breakfast.”
Silence. Complete and utter silence. Even the air seemed confused.
Lilith stared at him. “… you what?”
But Zafiel was already turning away. And as he did, his expression softened. Genuinely softened. Not the controlled calm he always wore. Not the composed mask of a prince.
Something warmer. Something… gentle.
“She doesn’t like it when the eggs are overcooked.” He muttered under his breath.
Lilith froze because in all her years, in all the time she had raised him, she had never seen that expression on her son’s face. Not once.
“Unbelievable...” She muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose.
Then, with a sharp exhale, “Go.”
Zafiel paused slightly, then chuckled. “As you wish, Mother.” And just like that, he left.
—
The Crown Prince’s Palace was quiet when he returned. Still. Controlled. Like nothing chaotic had ever happened within its walls.
Zafiel walked through the halls without pause, servants immediately moving at his command.
“Prepare breakfast.”
No hesitation. No delay. Everything was done exactly as he wanted.
Morning sunlight filtered softly through the heavy curtains. Warm. Gentle. Almost deceptive. Mariana stirred. Her brows furrowed slightly as consciousness returned slowly, piece by piece. For a brief moment, everything felt normal. Then, her eyes snapped open.
“Ri-Right.”
Reality hit all at once. Zafiel. The palace. The chains. Her mana. Her body tensed immediately as she tried to move.
She could move. Her wrists weren’t visibly bound anymore, but she could still feel it. That faint restriction like something unseen still held her in place.
“… great.” She muttered.
Then, a scent. Sweet. Warm. Familiar.
Her stomach betrayed her with a small, traitorous growl. “... no.” Slowly, she turned her head and froze.
Beside her, a small bed table had already been set, neatly arranged. Perfectly plated. Pancakes. Golden, soft, drizzled with honey. Scrambled eggs—fluffy, not overcooked. A glass of milk. Her favorites, exactly.
Mariana blinked. “What...?” Her brain refused to process it. “How do you—” She sat up slightly, staring at the tray like it might attack her. “Ho-How do you know my preferences to THIS degree…?!”
“Good morning.”
She flinched.
Zafiel stood near the window, as if he had been there the entire time, watching. Waiting.
“Do-Don’t ‘good morning’ me…!” she snapped weakly.
He ignored that. “Eat slowly.” He said instead.
Her eye twitched. “You didn’t answer my question.”
Zafiel smiled faintly. “You’ll understand eventually.”
That was NOT reassuring.
“At least tell me WHY—”
“I want to show you something.”
She paused. “… what?”
“After you eat.”
Mariana stared at him suspiciously.
This is definitely a trap. But—
Her stomach growled again. Louder this time. “… traitor.” She muttered... at herself.
Slowly, begrudgingly, she reached for the fork. “Unfair demon…” She mumbled under her breath as she took a bite.
Zafiel chuckled quietly.
And annoyingly enough, it tasted good. Really good. Mariana frowned harder as she continued eating, as if punishing the food for betraying her expectations.
By the time she finished, her expression had settled somewhere between annoyed and conflicted.
Zafiel stepped closer. Before she could react, he lifted a kerchief and gently wiped the corner of her mouth.
“He-Hey—”
“Messy.” He said simply.
“I can do that myself…!”
“I know.”
“THEN WHY—”
He had already turned away, cleaning up the table as if nothing had happened. Mariana stared at his back, baffled.
What is wrong with this guy…?!
“Go wash up.” he said calmly.
She blinked. “E-Excuse me?”
“You’ll feel better.”
“I-I’m not staying here long enough to ‘feel better’…!”
Zafiel glanced at her. Then smirked. “If you don’t move soon,” he said lightly, “I’ll have to bathe and dress you myself.”
Silence. Then, “ABSOLUTELY NOT...!!”
Mariana practically launched herself off the bed and ran straight into the bathroom. The door slammed shut behind her.
Zafiel chuckled.
While she was inside, he moved quietly, opening the dresser and selecting clothes. Not extravagant. Not suffocatingly luxurious. But comfortable.
A dress that fit her perfectly. Minimal frills. No unnecessary weight. Simple. Something she would actually like. He placed it neatly on the bed.
Then, the sound of movement from inside the bathroom.
Zafiel paused, then turned and walked toward the balcony. Opening the doors just enough to step out and closing them behind him. Respecting the boundary. Even now.
(A/n: Now I want a Zai too. ????)
Inside, Mariana finished quickly. Still on edge. Still thinking. Still trying to process everything. She stepped out cautiously then froze. The dress folded neatly, waiting.
“You’ve got to be kidding me...”
She picked it up. It fit her preferences perfectly.
“Ho-How do you even KNOW MY SIZE…?!” Her face flushed in frustration. “You PERVERT…!” She shouted toward the balcony.
Outside, Zafiel smiled faintly, unbothered.